Underwater surveillance cameras are used for viewing underwater objects from a boat or the like. They are particular popular with fishermen who want to explore either underwater structure or the presence of fish.
Such underwater surveillance water apparatus may be found in U.S. Pat. No.: 6,262,761 issued Jul. 17, 2001 to Jeffrey P. Zernov and Anthony L. Capra for xe2x80x9cSubmersible Video Viewing Systemxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,064,824 issued May 16, 2000 to Philip A. Rink for xe2x80x9cUnderwater Camera Housingxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,879 issued May 2, 2000 to Eric D. Weber for xe2x80x9cFishing Surveillance Devicexe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,469 issued Aug. 17, 1999 to Richard Ford and Randolph K. Ford for xe2x80x9cUnderwater Connectorxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,259 issued Jul. 7, 1998 to Philip A. Rink for xe2x80x9cUnderwater Video Camera Housingxe2x80x9d.
The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved underwater viewing apparatus which includes a housing for supporting a commercially available waterproof submersible camera, such as distributed by Strategic Vista Corporation of Markham, Ontario, Canada. Such a camera is elongated with a generally cylindrical housing. A cable is connected to one end of the housing. The other end of the housing supports the lens. The cable has a sufficient length that the user can submerge the camera at a desirable depth in the water while the upper cable end, above the water level, is connected to a viewing device, such as a television or a video camera recording device.
The preferred housing is formed in two symmetrical halves. Part of the housing has a planar configuration forming a rudder that is connected to a tubular camera supporting structure. The camera supporting structure is open at its opposite ends. The camera is clamped in the housing such that it may be suspended in a flowing body of water with the camera lens facing downwardly and the rudder guiding the camera in a stabilized position. The camera angle is adjusted by the user twisting the cable.
The housing has a cable-receiving channel around the periphery of the rudder so that the cable exits the housing at a 90xc2x0 angle with respect to the axis of the camera. When the cable is connected in this fashion, the camera is suspended in a horizontal position.
The preferred apparatus provides an efficient and economical housing for suspending the camera in alternate underwater viewing positions. The cable can be manipulated to adjust the camera to different viewing angles with respect to the water current.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.